ingredient

[in-gree-dee-uhnt]

noun

1. something that enters as an element into a mixture.

   Flour, eggs, and sugar are the main ingredients in the cake.

2. a constituent element of anything; component.

   the ingredients of political success.

ingredient

/ ɪnˈɡriːdɪənt /

noun

1. a component of a mixture, compound, etc, esp in cooking

Word History and Origins

Origin of ingredient¹

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English from Latin ingredient- (stem of ingrediēns ), present participle of ingredī “to go or step into, commence,” equivalent to in- in- ² + -gredient- “going”; gradient

Word History and Origins

Origin of ingredient¹

C15: from Latin ingrediēns going into, from ingredī to enter; see _ingress

Synonym Study

See element.

Example Sentences

Monday's reunion had the ingredients of another classic but, unfortunately for Wales, their 2015 meeting remains the last time Belgium were defeated in a World Cup or European Championship qualifier.

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Tylenol, the active ingredient of which is acetaminophen, is a widely used pain reliever, including by pregnant women.

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Consider two examples: U.S. drug manufacturers depend heavily on foreign sources for active ingredients for medication.

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The resulting encapsulated particles not only remained stable but also showed greater antioxidant activity than the uncoated extract, suggesting that this process helps protect the bioactive ingredients from degradation.

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Those residual ingredients included potassium, rare earth elements, and phosphorus -- collectively known as "KREEP," with the "K" representing potassium's chemical symbol.

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Related Words

• additive 
• element 
• factor 
• piece